PCTR 2013 Skyline to Sea 50k
Saturday checklist. Wake up early. Check. Spend the next 7 hours running 50km in the mountains. Check. Wait, how did that get on the list?
It had been a year since Jungfrau marathon and I was ready of my next challenge. I didn't know much about this race before signing up other than where it started (close to home) and where it finished (on the coast).
This was my first ultra-event. The whole scene is quite a change compared to the large marathons and 10k races I had done when I was younger. The crowd of runners totaled 100-150, tops. And the start was a very casual affair. The RD led us to to the trailhead and sent us off.
This is one of the most scenic trails you could imagine. What it lacked in expansive vistas, it more than made up for with dense forest and vibrant greens, soft pine needle lined trails, and shade, oh, glorious shade. I wanted to take pictures everywhere.
A train of us moved quickly through the first 10k, and pushed on through the trails. I could hear an occasional car passing on the adjacent road, but absent that noise, I wouldn't have guess that civilization was anywhere near. It's quite a change from SoCal trails that I'm used to. We arrived at Big Basin State Park, among giant sequoias or redwoods, I never did learn the difference.
The 50k runners were routed to an additional loop from here that would return us to the same aid station in 5 miles. The loop trail started with a steady climb until it hit the open fire road where the double whammy of solar radiation and gravity induced deceleration took me to places I don't see very often. I got chick'ed, several times, in a slow onset bonk. By the time I reached the aid station again, my family had arrived, given me refreshments and a change of shoes. My Brooks PureGrit had been rubbing into the back of my heel the whole time. Never wore that again for any decent run.
With a change of footwear, added nourishment and rest, I resumed the rest of the run. The next section starts with some hills through the redwoods, but soon hits an easy truck trail. Easy for a truck. Why is the next aid station 8 miles away, and only 2 from the finish? Resting again, I mentally added up my aid station time... 1 minute, 2 minutes, ... 15 minutes, ... 5 more... easily 30 minutes! In the last 2 miles, we're nearly at sea level in a narrow farming valley. Instead of darting straight down the valley, the trail heads uphill, meandering through some carved stone. Scenic for sure but I was ready to be done. I did find my magical second wind though, somewhere around mile 26 and again to the finish. PCTR generously makes this a downhill finish, so even though I may feel pathetic and my total time puts me in the geriatric range, the downhill finish allowed me to sprint looking as strong as I smelled.
And I earned a "first Ultramarathon" coaster!
It had been a year since Jungfrau marathon and I was ready of my next challenge. I didn't know much about this race before signing up other than where it started (close to home) and where it finished (on the coast).
This was my first ultra-event. The whole scene is quite a change compared to the large marathons and 10k races I had done when I was younger. The crowd of runners totaled 100-150, tops. And the start was a very casual affair. The RD led us to to the trailhead and sent us off.
The starting line at Saratoga Gap
This is one of the most scenic trails you could imagine. What it lacked in expansive vistas, it more than made up for with dense forest and vibrant greens, soft pine needle lined trails, and shade, oh, glorious shade. I wanted to take pictures everywhere.
Run through the woods on soft pine needle trail
A train of us moved quickly through the first 10k, and pushed on through the trails. I could hear an occasional car passing on the adjacent road, but absent that noise, I wouldn't have guess that civilization was anywhere near. It's quite a change from SoCal trails that I'm used to. We arrived at Big Basin State Park, among giant sequoias or redwoods, I never did learn the difference.
Big Basin State Park
The 50k runners were routed to an additional loop from here that would return us to the same aid station in 5 miles. The loop trail started with a steady climb until it hit the open fire road where the double whammy of solar radiation and gravity induced deceleration took me to places I don't see very often. I got chick'ed, several times, in a slow onset bonk. By the time I reached the aid station again, my family had arrived, given me refreshments and a change of shoes. My Brooks PureGrit had been rubbing into the back of my heel the whole time. Never wore that again for any decent run.
Great aid stations
With a change of footwear, added nourishment and rest, I resumed the rest of the run. The next section starts with some hills through the redwoods, but soon hits an easy truck trail. Easy for a truck. Why is the next aid station 8 miles away, and only 2 from the finish? Resting again, I mentally added up my aid station time... 1 minute, 2 minutes, ... 15 minutes, ... 5 more... easily 30 minutes! In the last 2 miles, we're nearly at sea level in a narrow farming valley. Instead of darting straight down the valley, the trail heads uphill, meandering through some carved stone. Scenic for sure but I was ready to be done. I did find my magical second wind though, somewhere around mile 26 and again to the finish. PCTR generously makes this a downhill finish, so even though I may feel pathetic and my total time puts me in the geriatric range, the downhill finish allowed me to sprint looking as strong as I smelled.
And I earned a "first Ultramarathon" coaster!
Coming into the finish!
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